Increasingly in this country, diagnostic ultrasound is being used to advance a political agenda.  Last month the Virginia state legislature passed, and the governor signed, a law that, effective July 1, requires women seeking an abortion to submit to a fetal ultrasound. In Texas, not only must such an ultrasound be performed, but also the fetus must be described to the patient in terms of its heart rate, its size and the length of its limbs. North Carolina and Oklahoma have laws with similar “speech-and-display” requirements. Four other states are considering such laws. 

To avoid errors and increase patient safety in radiation therapy, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) published a white paper (“Radiation Therapy Safety: The Critical Role of the Radiation Therapist” by Teresa G Odle, BA, ELS, and Natasha Rosier, MHA, MBA, R.T.(R)(T)) to provide background on the radiation therapist’s role in safe treatment delivery.

New guidelines for CT-guided biopsies of lung nodules significantly reduce radiation exposure, allowing individuals the benefit of the procedure, which may cut down on overall lung cancer deaths. This research was presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's (SIR) 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco.

Breast cancer patients whose treatment includes radiation therapy are at higher risk of complications after implant-based breast reconstruction, reports a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Fujifilm Medical Systems USA Inc. unveiled the Aspire CRm Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) system, the latest addition to the company’s expanding women’s health offering. The Aspire CRm is an ideal option for smaller, stand-alone breast imaging centers that want to easily transition from analog to digital imaging.

Incidences of renal complications, specifically acute renal failure (ARF) and new hemodialysis (HD), continue to increase significantly among Medicare beneficiaries (MB) admitted for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This was according to a study presented last week at the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) 61st Annual Scientific Session.

In July 2011, Evergreen Hospital Medical Center’s Breast Health Center was the first comprehensive breast center in the Pacific Northwest to implement tomosynthesis. The growing 272-bed community hospital serves the Eastside suburbs of Seattle. Its goal is to provide leading-edge technology while focusing on a personalized, compassionate patient experience.

Mammography Reading Room Space Plan
Comparing Contrast of X-Ray Film to LCD Displays
Contrast Reduced by Ambient Light
The same object is more detectable when the overall image contrast is higher, as shown in this high-contrast image.
Table A: Contrast Ratios

Millions of women are screened for breast cancer every year, resulting in tens of millions of X-ray images that need to be read. There are vast differences among today’s reading rooms, with many radiologists expressing concern about the conditions in either their workplace or the workplaces of their colleagues. Now that softcopy mammography screening is becoming commonplace, there is an opportunity to revisit the mammography reading room.
Teleradiology: A Changing Marketplace

The landscape of the teleradiology marketplace continued to evolve in 2011, and it is likely that some of the changes that took place will to have an effect into 2012. Teleradiology trends were noted in a recent report, “Teleradiology Services 2011: Times are Changing,” compiled by KLAS.  Imaging Technology News discussed the findings with Emily Crane, research director/teleradiology for KLAS.
The road to accountable care can seem like an uphill climb, but it can be reached by following clearcut steps.

It’s difficult, they say, to accurately gauge the impact of change without the benefit of time and historical perspective. Yet, some change brings a sense that nothing will ever be the same. Much of the discussion surrounding accountable care organizations (ACOs) has fallen along typical party lines of resistance — referencing formerly failed reimbursement and payment initiatives and arguing that the cost of entry is prohibitive, while realized savings are minimal.
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